


free to fly

by ginacarra21



Category: Original Work
Genre: Break Up, Established Relationship, F/F, Relationship Negotiation, letting go
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-16 00:40:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28697823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ginacarra21/pseuds/ginacarra21
Summary: Anne and Jada started dating online and finally met up in person, but Jada feels unwelcome in Anne's small town and Anne doesn't want to leave. They sit by the lake as they come to terms with breaking up.
Kudos: 3





	free to fly

♡ ♡ ♡

“Do you think birds talk about settling down?”

Light wind tickles the trees around them as Anne smiles at Jada. The question is ridiculous, but Anne’s eyes hold no judgement. “Why would they? They can fly anywhere, at any time.”

Jada digs her toes into the grass where she lies. “There are so many stories about birds in cages.”

Anne rolls over on her stomach, half on top of Jada. “Why are you being so pessimistic?”

Jada shakes her head, closes her eyes.

Anne presses her lips to Jada’s collarbone, her voice soft, “I see through your metaphors.”

Jada can’t help the shaky smile on her lips before she forces it flat. “It’s the first day of Spring. Today is supposed to be about beginnings. Ignore my transparent metaphors.”

Anne studies her. “You wanna swim?”

“Nah.” Jada’s eyes remain shut.

Anne kisses her neck. “If I wanna swim, would you wanna swim?”

Jada sighs, “Guess I could change my answer to a hesitant maybe.”

Anne stands up quietly.

Jada smirks. She doesn’t have long to remain peaceful, before she’s scooped up by Anne.  Jada’s eyes fly open. “What are you doing?!”

Anne giggles as she stumbles toward the water. “Taking advantage of being with you in person and how much smaller you are than me.”

Jada clings to Anne as she walks along the dock, closer and closer to a prime area to be dropped into the lake. “Do _not_ mess up my hair. Don’t do this to me.”

Anne keeps walking. “New beginnings are often followed by a cleansing. I’m just trying to help you out with your metaphor.”

Anne stands by the edge and Jada clings to her like a cat avoiding a bath. “Do not drop me.”

Anne nods. “Okay. I promise I won’t drop you.”

Anne jumps off the dock.

“You jerk!” Jada is already shouting as she resurfaces. She jabs at Anne’s arm lightly, only mock offended.

A smile is absolutely unshakable on Anne’s face. “Oh, boo hoo. You’re always so upset at me for making you have fun.”

Jada kisses Anne softly, still frowning.

They stare at each other, treading water.

Birds sing around them joyfully, a harsh contrast to the air between them. “Are you mad at me?” Jada’s voice sounds younger in its vulnerability.

Anne’s smile hasn’t budged, but there’s a sadness in her eyes. “A little.”

Jada’s instinct is to say sorry, but Anne has already asked her to stop saying it. “I…I wish I knew what to say. Or do. To make things different. Better.”

Anne swims away, floating on her back to look up at the bright blue sky. “I wish I was a bird. I could fly to you.”

Jada whines as she swims closer. “I’m right here.”

“Not for long.” Anne swallows, her smile finally fading. “It feels like a dream right now, because I know it’s going to end.”

Jada splashes water at her. “I’m supposed to be the broody one. Don’t talk like that.”

Anne doesn’t laugh. “I wish you’d agree to long distance.”

Jada stares at the side of Anne’s face, the way the nearly invisible hairs on her cheeks catch the sunlight and make her glow. “You deserve better than that.”

Anne sputters a laugh. “You don’t get to decide what I deserve.” She glares at Jada. “And honestly, it’s kind of disgusting that you’d even say that.” She looks back up at the sky. “You’re lucky I know you’re being self-destructive or I’d really be mad.”

“You love it here.” Jada knows this. She wanted to doubt it for so long, but now that she’s here with Anne, now that they’re experiencing this place together, Anne’s love for this small town shines in her. Jada wanted to believe Anne could be happy somewhere else, but Anne’s never expressed an interest in moving.

“You hate it here.” Anne knows this. She knows this small town will never accept the two of them. She wanted to believe they could prove everyone wrong. They could show this town their love and be accepted. She hates herself for loving it here, despite so much of the culture being against her.

Jada looks around at the water, the trees, the grass, the sun. “I don’t hate it _here_.”

Anne sniffles and Jada spins so fast, concern etched onto her face. Anne wipes at her eyes with the back of her hand, splashing water onto herself. “I don’t know what to do.”  She sinks underwater and starts swimming to the dock, pulling herself out of the water.

Jada follows slowly, giving Anne a second to herself.

Anne falls onto the grass, starfishing on her back and letting the sun dry her slowly.

Jada sits next to her, picking up her hand and tracing patterns onto the back of it. “I love you.”

Anne looks into Jada’s eyes, a smile on her lips and a frown in her eyes. “I love you, too.”

Jada takes a breath. “Sometimes…sometimes that’s all love lets us have, ya know, a moment. This moment and the other moments we shared that led to this. That’s what it gave us. I’m not mad about that. I‒Anne, I can’t stand the thought of taking you away from here and seeing you unhappy. I can’t stand the thought of staying and resenting you for keeping me here. I’d rather love you and leave.”

“I’d rather be a bird.” Tears fall from Anne’s eyes freely.

“Anne‒” Jada knows Anne understood what she meant before, but she’s not ready to hear her interpretation out loud.

“I’d rather be a bird in a cage and in love.” Anne squeezes Jada’s hand tightly. “But I can’t do that to you.”

Jada laces their fingers together. “You talked about today for so long. You had so much hope for when we finally met up in person, how things would change for the better. I believed you. I believed we’d find some magical compromise on this day of new beginnings. I believed in your optimism. I don’t know what to believe anymore. This is ending on the day you wanted it to begin.”

Anne sits up, grabbing Jada’s other hand in hers. They sit facing each other, legs folded. “No, it’s still a beginning. It’s the first day I can walk out into the world and truly believe in love. I’ll go through everyday knowing that there’s someone out there who loved me enough to let me be happy instead of selfishly trying to change me.”

“There’s someone else for you.” Jada knows this optimism she feels is learned. She learned it from Anne.

“And for you.” Anne squeezes Jada’s hands, leaning across the space between them to kiss her softly.

Jada smiles blissfully as they kiss. “Maybe this end can begin a little later. My flight leaves in the morning. I still have you for the night.”

Anne kisses her again, happiness surging between them. “I’ll keep you grounded one more night but in the morning, you’re free to fly.”

♡ ♡ ♡


End file.
